A few years back Silentlambs reported on a UK Child molester named Michael Porter. Porter molested at least 24 children including an 18 month old baby. If you note the commentary in the link Ronald Drage the head of the IBSA in UK was implicated with a series of questions that related to the use of Porter in his congregation for privileges of service. You can read about this here. The article was entitled, “Ronald Drage Shows how to ‘Suffer the Little Children.’” Now it appears we have a new scandal involving someone close to Brother Drage. George Cockerill was recently convicted of over 50 sexual offenses against children over a 40 year period. But who was Brother Cockerill? In recent information passed on to Silentlambs the following was learned;

Cockerill was the Presiding Overseer in his congregation (Chairman of Elder Body) and regularly gave talks at the Circuit and District Conventions for JWs. (This is a key group of about thirty elders who are looked to as examples)

Cockerill was on the Circuit Judicial Committee, which means he was in a elite group of ten major elders in the Circuit. This means any complicated judicial matter that a congregation could not handle such as child abuse issues etc…Cockerill would be involved in making the final decision on judicial appeal hearings that would be approved by the home office.

Cockerill served on the Charity Commission in his local Kingdom Hall.

Ron Drage and George were good friends according to JWs in their local congregations.

Cockerill was not disfellowshipped when his victim went to the elders or assistance and this caused the victim to leave the religion. Only when another victim went to the doctor and he reported it, Cockerill was arrested and convicted, then he was disfellowshipped.

When we reported on Brother Porter the congregation rallied around him and gave him support including a wife that was going to ‘stand by her man’. You can read about this

here . Interestingly the IBSA directed by Drage issued this statement about Cockerill;

A spokesperson for the Jehovah’s Witnesses said:

We do not tolerate in any way that kind of behavior. When this was brought to our attention Mr Cockerill was disfellowshipped and therefore he is no longer a Jehovah’s Witness.

Does this really answer the real issues that were allowed on Drages’ watch?

UK is a reporting country, why were local elders advised under Drage’s watch to not report when a victim went to them for assistance? (All elders are required to ask for home office direction when abuse is reported)

Porter was an ex Bethelite (worked in home office) Cockerill had key authority positions within the JWs why did Drage not act to protect children?

Did Drage forgo ethics and morality and just follow the New York mandated policy of allowing molesters to go unreported and their records erased? (See UK Elder letter 06/01/01 for policy directives)

In the articles below you will see sobering testimony and reactions of the judge to the horrendous 40 years history of this serial pedophile that used his friendship with Drage and positions of authority to access and rape children. There are also additional articles of several other JW molesters in the last six months in other parts of the world that have molested children as well. This includes one of the most wanted men in America, Fredrick Mclean wanted for molesting over 30 children as a JW in good standing. (http://www.silentlambs.org/RewardMcclean.htm)

So in the current article it appears to be yet another sad case of Ron’s rapists striking again. While press releases are issued with no acknowledgement of wrongdoing or apology for being associated and supporting a pedophile for 40 years, Ron Drage to continues as a leader with no remorse for his complicity in supporting rapists.

JEHOVAH PAEDO’S 40 YEARS OF RAPE

By ALASTAIR TAYLOR

Published: 31 Mar 2010

A TWISTED Jehovah's Witness raped and molested young girls who followed the faith - telling them they would betray their religion if they talked.

Vile George Cockerill, 78, carried out his depraved attacks over more than 40 YEARS.

One of his victims was just ten when he first targeted her. Another was 12 and a third 15. He made one devoted follower PRAY after attacking her.

Another was so terrified she asked church elders for help. But when no action was taken she quit the faith in disgust.

Ex-butcher Cockerill was finally nailed when his first victim told her doctor. He was behind bars yesterday after admitting 32 offences including 19 rapes and four counts of sexual activity with a child.

A paedophile raped and sexually assaulted women and girls over a period of 40 years by using their religion to keep the abuse secret. Despite one revealing it to the Jehovah's Witness elders, no help was given, a court heard.

Now George Cockerill, 78, has been jailed indefinitely after he admitted 19 rapes, four counts of sexual activity with a child, six counts of indecency with a child, one sex assault and two counts of indecency with a child. Judge Roger Thorn QC, sitting at Hull Crown Court, said: You have pleaded guilty to 32 serious counts that reflect your sexual depravity. The reality is that, from beginning to end, it is extended over 40 years. You have wasted your life and caused untold misery, one victim said, you have stolen her childhood. You have been the most terrible hypocrite, passing yourself off as a law-abiding member of the community and using religion as a tool of subjection to control your victims. That is why I'm satisfied this remained a secret for so long.

Cockerill was sentenced to imprisonment for public protection for a minimum of six years. He will not be released until the Parole Board believe he is no longer a danger. Cockerill, of Hull, was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life. He allegedly had five victims, three of whom were subject to the convictions he pleaded guilty to and two more have made allegations against him.
Police believe there could be more.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010, 06:30
A paedophile raped and sexually assaulted women and girls over a period of 40 years by using their religion to keep the abuse secret.
Despite one revealing it to the Jehovah's Witness elders, no help was given, a court heard.
Now George Arthur Cockerill, 78, has been jailed indefinitely after he admitted 19 rapes, four counts of sexual activity with a child, six counts of indecency with a child, one sex assault and two counts of indecency with a child.
Judge Roger Thorn QC, sitting at Hull Crown Court, said: "You have pleaded guilty to 32 serious counts that reflect your sexual depravity.
"The reality is that, from beginning to end, it is extended over 40 years. You have wasted your life and caused untold misery.

Despite one revealing it to the Jehovah's Witness elders, no help was given, a court heard.

Paedophile used religion to keep abuse secret
Tuesday, March 30, 2010, 06:30
A paedophile raped and sexually assaulted women and girls over a period of 40 years by using their religion to keep the abuse secret.
Despite one revealing it to the Jehovah's Witness elders, no help was given, a court heard.
Now George Arthur Cockerill, 78, has been jailed indefinitely after he admitted 19 rapes, four counts of sexual activity with a child, six counts of indecency with a child, one sex assault and two counts of indecency with a child.
Judge Roger Thorn QC, sitting at Hull Crown Court, said:
"You have pleaded guilty to 32 serious counts that reflect your sexual depravity.
"The reality is that, from beginning to end, it is extended over 40 years. You have wasted your life and caused untold misery.
"As one victim said, you have stolen her childhood."You have been the most terrible hypocrite, passing yourself off as a law-abiding member of the community and using religion as a tool of subjection to control your victims.
"That is why I'm satisfied this remained a secret for so long."
Cockerill was sentenced to imprisonment for public protection for a minimum of six years.
He will not be released until the Parole Board believe he is no longer a danger. Cockerill, of Hull, was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life. He allegedly had five victims, three of whom were subject to the convictions he pleaded guilty to and two more have made allegations against him.
Police believe there could be more. In a statement read to the court, one victim said: "He
took my childhood away."
Prosecutor David Dixon said: "He made one victim pray afterwards, linking the assault to the religion she had been devoted to for many years.
"She had pleaded with him not to do it. "One girl tried to get the church elders to do something about him, but to no avail."
The attacks came to light after one woman told her doctor and then contacted the police.
The police then discovered more victims. Cockerill has worked in the area as a butcher.
He served in the Army for eight years and has been involved with the Jehovah's Witnesses for a number of years. Detective Constable Sam Crompton, from Humberside Police's public protection unit, said: "I would like to thank the complainants for their bravery in reliving such a difficult time in their lives and for having the strength and courage to assist us with the investigation."
A spokesperson for the Jehovah's Witnesses said: "We do not tolerate in any way that kind of behaviour. When this was brought to our attention Mr Cockerill was disfellowshipped and therefore he is no longer a Jehovah's Witness."http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2913972/Jehovahs-Witness-paedo-carried-out-40-years-of-rape.html

Paedophile jailed for sex crimes

A paedophile who raped and sexually assaulted women and girls for more than 40 years used his victims' religious beliefs as Jehovah's Witnesses to keep his crimes a secret.

George Cockerill, 78, was jailed indefinitely after admitting 19 rapes, four counts of sexual activity with a child, six counts of indecency with a child, one sex assault and two counts of indecency with a child.

Hull Crown Court was told he'd made one victim pray following an assault while another tried to get help from elders, to no avail.

Sentencing, Judge Roger Thorn QC said Cockerill he was a terrible hypocrite who had caused "untold misery" by using religion to control his victims, adding: "As one victim said you have stolen her childhood.

Cockerill, of Hull, was sentenced to imprisonment for public protection for a minimum of six years and will not be released until the Parole Board believes he is no longer a danger.

Steven Garth, mitigating, said: "He is desperately sorry for what he has done."

A Jehovah's Witness who served as an elder betrayed the trust placed in him by abusing young girls. James Michael O'Brien followed one schoolgirl into a kitchen when she was alone away from adults making tea at meetings he was hosting. He pulled her towards him, sexually assaulted her and began to kiss her.

On another occasion he conducted a further sexual assault, Richard Wright prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court.

She felt very angry about what was happening because adult worshippers in the Kingdom Hall had a significant amount of trust placed in them, he said.

A second girl said when she was aged between 10 and 11, O'Brien touched her many times over her clothing when they were together for religious activities. She said he sexually assaulted her in a lift, while travelling in a car and while looking at a computer together.

The court heard he also admitted offences against three other girls when they visited him or when he was helping to look after them unconnected to his role as an elder.

O'Brien who the court was told is no longer associated with Kingdom Hall, was jailed for six years with an extended four years further on licence.

Speaking in the voice of America's Most Wanted's John Walsh): We've seen a lot of scumbags in our day, but this guy takes the cake. Frederick McLean is an alleged sexual predator of the lowest kind.

Authorities allege McLean met many of the child victims through his work as a local Jehovah's Witnesses leader in San Diego. At one point Riverside County authorities were also called to take care of this alleged monster. The 58-year-old is facing multiple counts of sexual assault on a child, with one victim claiming that McLean assaulted her more than 100 times starting when she was 5-years-old.

A pastor of the Jehovah Witness Church in Kailahun Town is a worried man. The man of God is currently detained at the Kailahun Police Station for the offence of an alleged rape of an 11 year old Pupil of the SLMB Mission in Kailahun.

Police report states that the incident took place at the residence of the suspected pastor in Kailahun town. He was arrested by the father of the victim with the help of some youths, and whisked to the Police Station where he is helping with the investigation.